Law enforcement has confirmed the identity of the terrorist who killed 10 people in a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado. The unprovoked attack happened at an otherwise peaceful march on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall. The people in attendance were in the Capitol passionately arguing that hostages in Gaza be released. Six victims, ranging from 67 to 88 years old, suffered injuries in the attack.
First responders swiftly transported all the victims to nearby hospitals, four victims being treated at Boulder Community Hospital. Of these, two of the victims were subsequently airlifted to a specialized burns unit in Denver for continuing treatment. There was an immediate outcry against this “makeshift flamethrower” and “Molotov cocktails.” The consequences have been immediate and severe, security fears having spiked to 66 percent.
Investigation and Response
The incident is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as an act of terrorism. Local law enforcement, including Boulder Chief of Police Steve Redfearn, is working closely with federal agents to secure the area and gather evidence. Redfearn corroborated that his team is indeed investigating a “vehicle of interest” associated with Soliman.
“Our agents and local law enforcement are already in the field,” announced an FBI spokesperson, Kash Patel. We’ll be posting further related updates as things become clear, so stay tuned.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis has expressed his profound sorrow for the victims of last night’s attack. He stands with their families as we all struggle with this terrible loss. He stated, “Hate-filled acts of any kind are unacceptable,” reinforcing the state’s commitment to combating violence fueled by bigotry.
Community Reactions
The attack has just sparked heavy discourse around the growing polarization in the United States right now over the war in Gaza. Phil Weiser, the state’s Attorney General, called for calm in the face of divergent opinions and reactions to the conflict playing out overseas. He remarked, “People may have differing views about world events and the Israeli-Hamas conflict, but violence is never the answer to settling differences.”
Weiser extended his thoughts to those affected by the attack, saying, “My thoughts are with those injured and impacted by today’s attack against a group that meets weekly on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall to call for the release of the hostages in Gaza.”
“Chief Redfearn’s words were a reflection of community resilience and pride. Boulder is not immune to tragedy, sadly, and I know a lot of people are scared right now. All I know is Boulder has recovered from acts of violence, and we will again.”
A Call for Accountability
As the investigations continue, leaders in both communities are demanding racial accountability and more action to fight against hate crime. Weiser emphasized that “Hate has no place in Colorado. We all have the right to peaceably assemble and the freedom to speak our views. These violent acts — which are becoming more frequent, brazen and closer to home — must stop and those who commit these horrific acts must be fully held to account.”
Though the world moves on, the impact of this terrible incident has left many in Boulder feeling raw and vulnerable. Local officials continue to move the situation forward while they’re on the lookout to get the peace and security that their community deserves.
